Chapter 1: Introduction to Theory and Its Application to Social Work Practice

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. A ______ is defined as the worldview or way of perceiving the world.

a. perspective

b. theory

c. practice mode

d. meta-theory

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. A ______ is defined as a theory concerned with the investigation, analysis, or description of theory itself.

a. perspective

b. theory

c. practice mode

d. meta-theory

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. A ______ as a set of statements aimed at explaining or proving why something happens.

a. perspective

b. theory

c. practice mode

d. meta-theory

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. A ______ describes how social workers can apply and implement theories in their practice.

a. perspective

b. theory

c. practice mode

d. meta-theory

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. One example of a perspective is the ______ perspective.

a. strengths

b. systems

c. mindfulness

d. positivism

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Interactive Abstract/Concrete Continuum

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. According to the text, which of the following is a meta-theory?

a. strengths

b. systems

c. mindfulness

d. positivism

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Interactive Abstract/Concrete Continuum

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. According to the text, which of the following is a practice model?

a. strengths

b. systems

c. mindfulness

d. positivism

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Interactive Abstract/Concrete Continuum

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. One example of a theory is the ______ theory

a. strengths

b. systems

c. mindfulness

d. positivism

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Interactive Abstract/Concrete Continuum

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. Which question is relevant to the historical framework that social workers use to choose a theory?

a. How consistent is this theory with social work values and ethics?

b. Why is this particular theory or perspective emerging at this moment in time?

c. What sources of knowledge does this theory support

d. What does this theory say about human behavior?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Chapter 3: Contextualizing Human Behavior Theory

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. Which question is relevant to the conceptual framework that social workers uses to critique a theory?

a. Is this theory or perspective a new understanding of human behavior?

b. Why is this particular theory or perspective emerging at this moment in time?

c. How consistent is this theory with social work values and ethics?

d. What is it that makes this understanding of human behavior important to our current context?

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Chapter 2: Critique Of Theory For Use In Social Work Practice

Difficulty Level: Easy

11. Which theorist was a proponent of psychodynamic theory?

a. Rank

b. Freire

c. Naess

d. Chenault

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Chapter 5: Psychodynamic Theory

Difficulty Level: Easy

12. Which theorist was a proponent of critical theory?

a. Rank

b. Freire

c. Naess

d. Chenault

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Chapter 4: Critical Theory

Difficulty Level: Easy

13. Which theorist was a proponent of human development theory?

a. Rank

b. Freire

c. Naess

d. Chenault

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Chapter 8: Life Span Theories, Family Life Course Theories, And Historical Trauma

Difficulty Level: Easy

14. Which theorist was a proponent of ecological theory?

a. Rank

b. Freire

c. Naess

d. Chenault

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Chapter 7: Environmental And Ecological Theory In Social Work

Difficulty Level: Easy

15. ______ examines the impact of the natural world on humans and the intrinsic worth of the natural world.

a. Ecological theory

b. Critical theory

c. Systems theory

d. Conflict theory

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Chapter 7: Environmental And Ecological Theory In Social Work.

Difficulty Level: Medium

16. Which of the following statements is a myth about social work theory?

a. Not every theory or idea is relevant to social work practice.

b. Theory is too difficult and complicated for social workers to understand.

c. Not every theory is applicable or relevant to every situation.

d. Some theories are complex and challenging to understand.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Does Theory Really Matter? Theory Myth Busters

Difficulty Level: Easy

17. Which of the following statements best describes social workers as pragmatists?

a. They tend to use just one perspective, theory or model in all cases or practice-based situations.

b. They start with the assumption that they have the one, true political perspective, or social theory, or knowledge-generating method.

c. They are aware of their limitations and fallibility and strive to create the best society possible, given the tools they have available.

d. They acknowledge the importance of subjectivity, multiple ways of knowing, and that knowledge is time and context-bound.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: The Interactive Abstract/Concrete Continuum

Difficulty Level: Hard

18. Which of the following statements best describes social workers as positivists?

a. They use just one perspective, theory or model in all cases or practice-based situations.

b. They acknowledge the importance of subjectivity and multiple ways of knowing.

c. They value ethics-based quest for democracy, equality, justice and freedom for all people.

d. They believe that there is an objective truth that can be discovered through systematic inquiry.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: The Interactive Abstract/Concrete Continuum

Difficulty Level: Hard

19. Which of the following statements best describes social workers as social constructionists?

a. They use just one perspective, theory or model in all cases or practice-based situations.

b. They acknowledge the importance of subjectivity and multiple ways of knowing.

c. They value ethics-based quest for democracy, equality, justice and freedom for all people.

d. They believe that there is an objective truth that can be discovered through systematic inquiry.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: The Interactive Abstract/Concrete Continuum

Difficulty Level: Hard

20. Which theory is central to social work and provides social workers with a value-based approach?

a. critical theory

b. ecological theory

c. pyschodynamic theory

d. systems theory

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Critical Theory As An Overarching Theory For Social Work Practice

Difficulty Level: Medium

21. Which of the following posits that our minds are vehicles designed to tell us how others see things?

a. ecological theory

b. symbolic interactionism

c. pyschodynamic theory

d. systems theory

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Chapter 9: Symbolic Interactionism

Difficulty Level: Medium

22. The intersectionality theory is a theory under ______.

a. environmental and ecological theories

b. life span and family life course theories

c. behavior and cognitive theories

d. theories of culture and white privilege

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Chapter 11: Theories Of Culture And White Privilege

Difficulty Level: Easy

23. The nigrescence theory is a theory under ______.

a. environmental and ecological theories

b. life span and family life course theories

c. behavior and cognitive theories

d. theories of culture and white privilege

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Chapter 8: Life Span Theories, Family Life Course Theories, And Historical Trauma.

Difficulty Level: Easy

24. Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart is featured in the text for her work on the ______.

a. pivotal role played by cognition in shaping human behavior

b. different forms of diversity in social work practice

c. historical trauma as it impacts human growth and development

d. belief that individuals sought pleasure and/or avoided pain

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Chapter 8: Life Span Theories, Family Life Course Theories, And Historical Trauma

Difficulty Level: Easy

25. Which of the following statements is TRUE about the share decision making model?

a. It is not consistent with social work ethics.

b. It is a “two-expert” practice model: the psychiatrist and the patient.

c. It does not take much interest in clients’ goals, interests, and values.

d. It produces better results in clients’ medication use.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Does Theory Really Matter? Theory Myth Busters

Difficulty Level: Hard

True/False

1. Scientific theory typically includes overarching ideas and themes that are developed deductively based on the results of many empirical research studies

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Theory and Science

Difficulty Level:

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. Meta-theory is a theory concerned with the investigation, analysis, or description of theory itself.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. Shared decision making model is a social work practice model that places minimal importance on clients’ life goals, interests, and values.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Myth #2 – Theory is just ivory tower nonsense with no practical import.

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. The use of theory in social work practice leads to oppression.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Does Theory Really Matter? Theory Myth Busters

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. Symbolic interactionism argues human behavior is an interpretation of what we do and how we perceive what others do.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Chapter 9: Symbolic interactionism

Difficulty Level: Easy

Short Answer

1. Describe the difference between perspective, theory, and practice model.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. Discuss how the shared decision making model can be used in social work practice.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Does Theory Really Matter? Theory Myth Busters

Difficulty Level: medium

3. Define meta-theory and name four different meta-theories.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Interactive Abstract/Concrete Continuum

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. Provide an example that shows theoretical awareness is important for social work practice.

Learning Objective:

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: The Interactive Abstract/Concrete Continuum

Difficulty Level: Difficult

5. Discuss three myths that underlie the use of theory in social work practice.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Does Theory Really Matter? Theory Myth Busters

Difficulty Level: Easy